AI Can’t Reach the Real World Without These 3 Stocks

Summary

AI can train and think inside data centers, but without 5G, it can never leave them. While data centers train the models, run inference, and orchestrate automation, AI’s true application lies in physical AI and the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is the collection of connected devices that, as of mid-2026, are growing at an accelerating rate. Estimates of how many devices are currently connected vary but tend to fall in the 20-25 billion range, growing at a mid-teens compound annual growth rate. 5G is critical to AI, edge computing, and the IoT because it enables real-time, ultra-low-latency data processing, massive bandwidth, and scalability. Without it, the IoT is dead in the water, a dream of what the Internet might do one day.Get Verizon Communications alerts:Sign Up Verizon: Helps Reduce Latency With Verizon 5G EdgeVerizon NYSE: VZ is a standout winner in the AI revolution, as it provides the 5G networks critical to AI applications. The company’s many advantages include the Verizon 5G Edge architecture, which pushes data storage and processing to the network edge, near the source, reducing latency to mere milliseconds, and IoT Managed Services, which helps enterprises launch and manage IoT networks. Other advantages include sharded networks, which enable Verizon to isolate smaller networks within the ecosystem, fine-tuning them for specific needs, including private enterprise networks. The primary catalyst for VZ stock in 2026 is its CEO shift. CEO Dan Shulman is focused on customer satisfaction and revenue quality, and his success is already evident. Early 2026 earnings results included surprise client wins, reduced churn, and improved profitability, with strengths expected to be sustained as the year progresses. Analysts responded favorably to the news, lifting price targets to the high end of the range and firming market support for the stock. Verizon’s dividend and value combination make it a winner regardless of its 5G position or its CEO's shift in stra...